Category: Feature

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL LIGHTING might look similar, but their design, purpose, and manufacturing couldn’t be more different. Depending on its application, commercial lighting can be customized to fit any facility and its operations. Brightness intensity, maintenance requirements, and warranties are all important factors when looking at commercial fixtures. On the other hand, residential lighting isRead More ›

ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCEElectrical interference is more formally known as either electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI). EMI is the more general term, RFI applies only to interference over the band of frequencies used for radio transmissions. However, for this article, the two terms are interchangeable and will be referred to as EMI. EMI isRead More ›

WHILE 2020 HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR for businesses, many have responded by making technology advances that they will be able to leverage for years to come. COVID-19 has forced many IT departments to rely more on digital infrastructure to keep workforces and operations running. And just as the trend toward digitalization had already begunRead More ›

Tradespeople are known to have a soft spot for their tools, and electricians are no exception. Five pros, from Apprentice to Master Electrician, told Kelly Patrick, Sr. Product Manager — Building, Construction, and OEM at Shurtape Technologies, LLC, about the tools that are always by their side.

THE FACADE LIGHTING for the four-star Hotel Lima Marbella in Spain needed to be upgraded as part of general renovation work. The project partners looked for a wireless light management system that would add dynamic control and RGBW colors to the existing outdoor lighting without major structural modifications. They found it at lighting control specialistRead More ›

WE HAVE SMART DEVICES, smart homes, smart offices, smart cities, and soon, even a smarter Wi-Fi network. With such a heavy focus on smarter connectivity, what does it mean for the electrical industry? More opportunities for electricians, for one. We recently covered emerging smart tech trends and how this could open up more jobs forRead More ›

THE FUTURE OF OUTDOOR LIGHTING can be summarized by one word and one acronym on everyone’s mind: efficiency and LED. From the cost-saving homeowner to a facility’s bottom line, efficient LED lighting motivates the entire outdoor lighting market — and for a good reason. Switching to LEDs is not only way more efficient than traditionalRead More ›

A DECREASE IN MACHINE AVAILABILITY due to power quality issues disturbs the natural flow of manufacturing, leading to lost productivity, increased maintenance requirements and eroded customer trust. Machine downtime is the single largest source of lost production, typically accounting for almost 5 percent of factory losses—although many manufacturers lose more. For example, when the costRead More ›

FROM THE ELECTRIC FANS AND POWER TOOLS in our homes, to crane control systems and industrial machinery — motors can be found in mechanical applications of all shapes and sizes. But what exactly keeps them turning? Here, Joshua Piccaver, electrical design engineer at power resistor manufacturer Cressall Resistors, explains why resistors are key to ensuringRead More ›

WHILE 2020 HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR for businesses, many have responded by making technology advances that they will be able to leverage for years to come. COVID-19 has forced many IT departments to rely more on digital infrastructure to keep workforces and operations running. And just as the trend toward digitalization had already begunRead More ›

PEOPLE RELY ON HOSPITALS to provide the expertise and equipment needed to keep them healthy. However, if the electrical equipment fails at any point, doctors cannot provide this care and patients are put at risk. Here, Juan Chavez, vice president of transient surge protection specialist Energy Control Systems, explains how the UPS and transient detectionRead More ›

CONTRACTORS CAN STAND OUT from the competition and offer tremendous value to their customers with localized expertise on how to increase energy efficiency with lighting control strategies and how to comply with local energy and building codes. Lighting controls can be used to meet the unique lighting needs of any space in new and retrofitRead More ›